Will 2018 pay off property taxes more and continue to think everything is fine? By: Adv. Eran…
Will 2018 pay off property taxes more and continue to think everything is fine?
By: Adv. Eran Faivish
Property taxes are a heavy burden and a significant expense in any business. Most property owners do not check the level of property taxes and continue making direct debit payments. You can reduce your property taxes or at least do some testing to make sure you're not paying more.
Currently, property tax charges for 2018 have been sent to all property holders among you. If you find that the charges are incorrect, you must take action if within 45 days of filing an administrative petition to the District Court as a court of administrative matters, or within 90 days of filing an objection to the Municipal Property Manager in the local authority where the property is located.
The decision whether to file an administrative petition or to file an objection to the Municipal Manager is derived from the issues that they wish to attack.
Roughly divided, it is possible to determine that attainment will be filed on factual technical issues, including: the size of the property, the type of use of the property, the area where the property is located, the claim that another holds the property and everything as specified in the Local Authorities Law (appeal of a general property tax determination).
On the other hand, an administrative petition will be filed on issues of a more legal nature, including: the reasonableness of property tax rates, retroactive charges, illegal charges, breach of agreements, etc.
At its base, the property tax is a multiplication of the property area at the property tax rate, which reflects the activity carried out on the property. In fact, the matter is a little more complicated.
Some general tips for testing property taxes:
Property area - First check whether the area that appears in the charge that you received is indeed the area of the property that you hold. At this stage we will not delve into the distinction between the various measurement methods of net, gross, etc., which vary from one local authority to another, and affect the area positively. Naturally, an incorrect measurement will lead to overcharges in the property tax.
The municipal tax rate - for each local authority, a municipal tax levy order, where you will find the municipal tax rates for the different uses of the same authority. For example, there is a tariff for the use of a bank, a tariff for crafts, commerce, office, land where different uses are made and more. Incorrect rate billing is usually a costly charge that you have to pay.
Property in which several uses are made - sometimes some property is used for several uses. For example, sales space, storage space and space used for industry or craft. While many authorities seek to impose a uniform municipal property tax on the entire area - and, as you probably guessed, the highest tariff can be imposed - it is important to know that there is a possibility of reducing the general property tax by dividing the general area into parts of the area according to different uses, and request the municipal property to be used accordingly. In every part.
"I am not the holder" - it is very important to check that the property tax bill paid does indeed refer to the property held by you! It is possible that this is a property that you have already vacated, and you continue to pay property taxes on it. Worse, there is a possibility that this is a property that you have never owned, and the property tax charges are attributed to you due to a mistake in the local authority.
From experience, companies' account managers often pay the charges without proper checking. The property voucher includes the property's address and not only other details such as: block and plot. Check.
The area where the property is located - in some local authorities the municipal area of the authority is divided into a number of billing areas. Accordingly, there are different property tax rates for the exact same use if the property is in area A, B or C. If the property tax charges are in accordance with the property located in area A while the property in your possession is in area B, it is possible that you pay property tax in excess.
Checking past agreements - You may have had a dispute with the local authority in the past regarding one or the other property. Furthermore, you may also have reached a written agreement on the matter. Therefore, check that the property tax charges are in accordance with the consents you have reached. Please note: The past agreement may have been limited in time and therefore expired, hence the property tax returns have returned to the same high charges as before the settlement agreement was signed.
Real Estate Discounts - Alongside all of these is a long list of discounts you may be eligible to receive. Whether in relation to vacant assets, Russian property, personal or ad hoc assumptions because of the location of the property. A short note from addressing all of this in this article.
The money is yours
Not once and twice have I come across cases of people or companies paying unjustly high sums. Therefore, it is important to check all parameters, and then - if you think you are more committed - decide how to act, according to your claims.
As stated, if it is a more “technical” matter, such as the size of the property or the type of property, an attainment must be submitted to the local authority manager. Alternatively, when the claim is more legal, for example, a claim of unreasonableness or retroactive charge, an administrative petition must be filed, and the court will rule on the matter.
Anyway, it's your money. Don't pay without checking.
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